I need help with cycling advice
Gavsl123
Posts: 26
Hello, i am currently new to cycling and was just looking for general advice, i will be cycling to work and back generally to lose weight. What type of bike should i be going for as i am currently overweight, Also does having suspension or not make a difference.
Thanks
Thanks
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Hello, i am currently new to cycling and was just looking for general advice, i will be cycling to work and back generally to lose weight. What type of bike should i be going for as i am currently overweight, Also does having suspension or not make a difference.
How far is it to work? What sort of surfaces are you going to be riding on?
You say you're overweight? What weight exactly?
Suspension depends on the surface type, but unless you're riding to work over Dalby Forest red route it's going to be a disadvantage.0 -
How far is it to work? What sort of surfaces are you going to be riding on?
roughly 5 miles and t will be a canal path and some road
You say you're overweight? What weight exactly?
17 st
Suspension depends on the surface type, but unless you're riding to work over Dalby Forest red route it's going to be a disadvantage0 -
Ok 5 miles is doable with pretty much any type of bike. You're talking less than half an hour each way, once you're up to speed - which won't take long.
Canal path may mean you're not looking at a road bike.
Next thing depends on your budget. Assuming it's relatively low then a good starting bike is a hybrid, the likes of the Trek FX series are pretty good - it's what I started on. Decent on road but with wide enough tyres to deal with off road work too. http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/city/recreation/fx/ (other manufacturers have a simlar lineup).
17st isn't too much of a problem it's when you start getting into the 20's that you need to look at reinforced wheels at the likes, so you should be fine.0 -
I started cycling to work 5 miles each way just over 9 years ago. I was 16 stone 7lbs then. I'm 12 stone 2lbs today. Best thing I ever did. Read around on here, take people's advice onboard, get your bike and get cycling.How far is it to work? What sort of surfaces are you going to be riding on?
roughly 5 miles and t will be a canal path and some road
You say you're overweight? What weight exactly?
17 st
Doesn't hurt that it took me my usual 20 minutes to get to work this morning while around me the rest of Coventry was gridlocked in Severe Rush Hour Delays!.0 -
Thats great thanks, however my budget is really low and those trek fx bikes look really good but i only have like £150-£200 ish to spend. Could i get something decent from Halfords for that?
Also could anyone advise on saddles, every saddle i have used causes so much pain, i have not properly ridden a bike for 6-7 Years0 -
Thats great thanks, however my budget is really low and those trek fx bikes look really good but i only have like £150-£200 ish to spend. Could i get something decent from Halfords for that?
The most important advice I could give you on the subject, and this comes from being in the same place as yourself from the start, and has been learned over many years, is that it's easy to think in the start that £150-200 will get you something decentish, but it's not true (I'm sure others will disagree lol), I know because that's the exact same budget as I had in the first place. If you're going to take this seriously, don't get a Halfords special, buy a decent bike in the first place which is going to last you a good while, and isn't going to break and have you giving up before you've even started.
The Trek models I've posted start at £325, worth the money when you compare it to the likes of what you would spend on a car.Also could anyone advise on saddles, every saddle i have used causes so much pain, i have not properly ridden a bike for 6-7 Years
Decent cycling shorts help but a lot is just getting used to it.0 -
As others have said I'd avoid suspension. For road riding or light off-road like dirt paths, canal paths and gravel it serves no purpose but detracts from the bikes handling and feel plus it adds weight and cost.
For your purposes most hybrids or any mountain bike would get you there but I'd sway towards a cyclocross (or CX) bike. These are designed for cyclocross racing which is done on tracks that usually combine road, grass and mud and they're essentially road bikes with increased clearance to allow you use bigger tyres. They make great all round bikes and are nearly as good as a road bike for speed on the road if you put on a pair of road tyres. The only downside is you may need to spend more to get one as they usually start around £750 i think. Have a look at the Boardman CX for example.
[Edit]
Sorry, just saw your budget, forget CX bikes!0 -
Is something like this no good?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/falcon-monza-mens-hybrid-bike-200 -
My first bike was a Revolution Courier Race from Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, which cost me £279 at the time. I still use it as a shopper/pub bike and to commute on with ice tyres in the snow. Unfortunately it's £349 these days and they used to do a cheaper Revolution Courier (with 26" wheels instead of the 700Cs on the Race model) but they don't seem to do that anymore:
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-courier-race-15
Other bikes that are often mentioned as reasonable but cheap first bikes are the Carrera Subway (£229):
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/carrera-subway-1-mens-hybrid-bike-2015
Triban 500 (£260):
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-500-flat-bar-road-bike-black-id_8322664.html0 -
Is something like this no good?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/falcon-monza-mens-hybrid-bike-20
I wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole mate.0 -
Okay so the 1 that was suggested seems good,
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/carrera-subway-1-mens-hybrid-bike-2015?_$ja=kw:skimlinks_phg|tsid:40392&cm_mmc=Affiliates-_-PerformanceHorizon-_-skimlinks_phg-_-TopLink
i think i will get this and a decent saddle0 -
Okay so the 1 that was suggested seems good,
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/carrera-subway-1-mens-hybrid-bike-2015?_$ja=kw:skimlinks_phg|tsid:40392&cm_mmc=Affiliates-_-PerformanceHorizon-_-skimlinks_phg-_-TopLink
i think i will get this and a decent saddle
That would work, I'd thought about getting one of those myself to troll around the lanes. You'll be looking to upgrade soon enough however. And personally I would suggest that getting that rather than a proper bike will cost you more in the long run.0 -
I'm sure you're right, and I upgraded to a road bike within a year, and now own 3 bikes (down from 4 recently, although technically there are 5 in my garage until I strip the 2 retirees for parts), but I still have that first £279 bike and use it for bits and bobs. Also I couldn't have justified spending any more at the time, and if I'd had to wait until I'd saved up the £600 I paid for my first road bike I might never have started cycling to work.That would work, I'd thought about getting one of those myself to troll around the lanes. You'll be looking to upgrade soon enough however. And personally I would suggest that getting that rather than a proper bike will cost you more in the long run.
Once I'd worked out that between a bus pass and gym membership I was already saving £600 a year it became a bit easier to justify spending more money on bikes.0 -
Yes this bike will just be for 3-6 months until i lose some weight and feel comfortable using a road bike.
last question (:
Are large cushion saddles worse in the long run, the smaller saddle i have at the moment really hurts. shall i just carry on or buy a larger cushion saddle?0 -
highly padded saddles feel comfortable at first but are much less comfortable in the long run. Because the padding deforms a lot under pressure, it allows force to be exerted on soft tissue instead of being focused on the sit bones. Your sit bones and surrounding muscles will adapt to a harder saddle whereas a soft saddle will get gradually more uncomfortable on longer rides and is likely to interfere with nerves and bloodflow.Yes this bike will just be for 3-6 months until i lose some weight and feel comfortable using a road bike.
last question (:
Are large cushion saddles worse in the long run, the smaller saddle i have at the moment really hurts. shall i just carry on or buy a larger cushion saddle?
A fairly firm saddle and a pair of padded shorts is almost universally acceptaed as the most comfortable solution. For shorter rides however, you may be okay with a more cushioned saddle.0 -
Okay tyvm, i m looking forward to purchasing thise bike and getting back out there0
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If you are going to Halfords check out the Voodoo Masrasa ask if they have last years model, £239.99 plus if you join British Cycling you can get an extra 10% off.
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes-and-classic-bikes/voodoo-marasa-hybrid-bike-2013-20140 -
Yea they have it in my local halfords, so its between that and the carerra
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I'm surprised nobody has suggested looking at second hand bikes. You'll get more for your money and the resale value won't plummet the moment arse meets saddle. 'Carrera Subway' brings back quite a few results on ebay, I'd assume many people are in a similar position to you and want a hybrid before deciding to upgrade to a road bike.0
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Atm i have a crapy shockwave with full su8spension, even when the tyres are fully pumped it feels like the tyres are not when im on it, i rode a cousins bmx a few days ago and the wheels on that felt fine. I know it is probably mostly down to my weight but will that change with a hybrid bike?0
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Atm i have a crapy shockwave with full su8spension, even when the tyres are fully pumped it feels like the tyres are not when im on it, i rode a cousins bmx a few days ago and the wheels on that felt fine. I know it is probably mostly down to my weight but will that change with a hybrid bike?
Might be that the suspension bushes/linkages are shot and fork is bottoming out, or the hub/bearings need adjusting, spokes have lost tension and/or broken if you are saying it feels like you are riding with flat tyres?
A rigid bike, no front or rear suspension, should give you a nicer more direct/stable ride than your shockwave.0 -
Alright, thanks everyone for the advice!!0
